Projected NBA Conference Winners, Finals Winner and …

The NBA regular season is approaching its end and it is time to pick the best divisions, teams, players and an NBA Finals winner.

Indiana was able to rest its starters Wednesday, but it did not help on Friday night when they faced the Miami Heat and lost by 12. The last two games of the season will determine which team Indiana or Miami will have home court advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Miami currently leads Indiana by one game.

Miami has its share of injuries with the biggest being shooting guard Dwayne Wade who has missed 10 straight games with a sore hamstring. Both teams will likely rest their top players knowing that having home court advantage at this point might not be as important as resting starters.

The West is decided with San Antonio clinching first place with Oklahoma City in second and the Los Angeles Clippers third.

According to data taken from Bovada, sportsbooks.com, betonline and topbet, the strongest divisions are:

Southwest

Pacific

Southeast

Northwest

Central

Atlantic

NBA Power Rankings

Oklahoma City Thunder

San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat

Los Angeles Clippers

Houston Rockets

Projection for the playoffs in the Eastern and Western Conference’s leading into the last weekend of the regular season:

EAST

Miami heat

Indiana Pacers

Chicago Bulls

Toronto Raptors

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Bobcats

Washington Wizards

Atlanta Hawks

WEST

San Antonio

Oklahoma City

Los Angeles Clippers

Houston Rockets

Portland Trail Blazers

Golden State Warriors

Memphis Grizzlies

Dallas Mavericks

Projected First Team All-NBA

LeBron James

Kevin Durant

Joakim Noah

Stephen Curry

Chris Paul

Second Team

LaMarcus Aldridge

Kevin Love

Blake Griffin

James Harden

Tony Parker

2013-2014 Prediction NBA Finals

This season the San Antonio Spurs have shown that their veteran legs still have some energy left in them. However, the Western Conference should go to the Oklahoma City Thunder this year.

The Thunder is 4-0 against San Antonio and with Russell Westbrook being rested on back-to-back nights down the stretch, the Thunder has shown how talented they are. Kevin Durant has won another scoring title and has increased his assists and rebounding this season.

In the East, Miami still rules until someone can step up and knock them off their perch. The regular season does not matter that much to the Big Three – LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. However, during crunch time the team will excel. Just ask Indiana Friday night, when the Pacers were defeated by Miami 98-86.

However, the Thunder will defeat the Heat in a close NBA Finals in 7 games. Durant, Westbrook and company will be too much for the Big Three in part because Dwayne Wade will not be 100%. The Heat will need his talent in a seven game series against the Thunder and he will not be able to give them what they need.